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In a bid to combat rural depopulation, the Spanish government has launched a countryside Erasmus programme. Instead of spending a year abroad in a European city, students can opt for a paid work placement in a small rural village. It’s a win-win situation for both participants and local residents.

Instead of studying abroad, young Spaniards can opt for a rural Erasmus programme to help revitalise the countryside.

An Erasmus programme in rural Spain to help combat depopulation

The housing crisis in Ireland has been a burning political issue since 2008. With a shortage of 250,000 homes for a country of just over 5 million inhabitants, the market has become saturated. And as the country’s population continues to grow each year with the arrival of new asylum seekers, tensions are rising.  

In Ireland, a serious housing crisis is throwing asylum seekers into disarray.

Asylum seekers face Ireland’s housing crisis

The situation on the border between Poland and Belarus continues to deteriorate: in September 2021, nearly 9,000 people tried to reach the European Union illegally through Poland. That's twice as many as in August. And revealing the truth of the situation is difficult, as journalists and NGOs are forbidden from the area. ARTE reporter Ulrike Däßler and her team was detained by police in the course of making this report, for no reason other than trying to do their jobs.

The situation on the border between Poland and Belarus continues to deteriorate

Belarus to Poland: The Migrant Tragedy

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated on October 10th in Poland to reaffirm their attachment to the European Union, seventeen years after their country's accession. Spearheading the push towards Brussels is former President of the European Council Donald Tusk, who called for protests after a decision by the Polish Constitutional Court, which challenges the primacy of European law. The pro-Europeans fear that their country is in danger of leaving the EU.

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Poland to reaffirm their attachment to the European Union

The Polish Protesters Who Choose Europe

The Catholic church in Poland is losing ground. Although over 80% of Poles identify as Catholics, young people are increasingly turning away from the institution. Only 23% of 18-24 year olds still claim to be regular churchgoers, whereas 30 years ago there were three times as many. This trend is also visible in seminaries with a significant fall in Poles training to be priests.

The Catholic church in Poland is losing ground.as young people are increasingly turning away from the institution

Young Poles Leave the Church

Too many people, too little space. Migrants in Malta have contributed to a strong economic boom over the past 20 years. But as the island becomes more crowded, more and more residents seem to be turning against non-European migrants.

The smallest country in the European Union has the lowest birth rate. However, it is currently facing overpopulation.

Malta: an overpopulated and unwelcoming island

Now that the media, the legal system, cinemas, theatres and universities have fallen under the influence of the Hungarian prime minister and his right-wing Fidesz party, is the publishing industry next? In early July, a company close to the government called Mathias Corvinus Collegium Foundation (MCC) bought Hungary’s largest bookshop chain, Libri. And bookshops have had to follow a specific directive recently imposed by the government, stating that any children’s books even remotely referencing homosexuality must be covered with plastic.

In Hungary, the state wants to control literature

The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the Colosseum in Rome and Pompeii are some of Italy’s biggest tourist attractions. But staff who check entrance tickets or work in souvenir shops at these destinations generally earn less than 7 euros an hour. They’re hoping that the introduction of a 9-euro statutory minimum wage, currently being debated in Italy, will ease their precarity. 

Italy’s famous tourist sites attract millions each year, but workers behind the scenes often have a hard time making ends meet.

Precarious workers in Italy’s cultural sector

For over two years, a small company in eastern Germany has been testing out the four-day work week. By reorganising their work days, implementing more digitisation and optimising their tasks, they have managed to increase sales and decrease working hours. A win-win situation for both the company director and his employees.

In a town in east Germany, a small company has been testing out the four-day work week. And it’s working.

The four-day work week

A law stating that surrogacy is a “universal crime” was passed in Italy’s lower chamber. In September, the bill will go through the Senate. If it passes, anyone who decides to have a child by surrogacy abroad could automatically face prison and a hefty million-euro fine on their return.

Anyone who decides to have a child by surrogacy abroad could automatically be prosecuted on their return to Italy.

Politics and society
ARTE Journal

All videos

An Erasmus programme in rural Spain to help combat depopulation

Asylum seekers face Ireland’s housing crisis

Belarus to Poland: The Migrant Tragedy

The Polish Protesters Who Choose Europe

Young Poles Leave the Church

Malta: an overpopulated and unwelcoming island

In Hungary, the state wants to control literature

Precarious workers in Italy’s cultural sector

The four-day work week

Italy, where surrogacy is a crime

Politics and societyARTE Journal

All videos

An Erasmus programme in rural Spain to help combat depopulation

Asylum seekers face Ireland’s housing crisis

Belarus to Poland: The Migrant Tragedy

The Polish Protesters Who Choose Europe

Young Poles Leave the Church

Malta: an overpopulated and unwelcoming island

In Hungary, the state wants to control literature

Precarious workers in Italy’s cultural sector

The four-day work week

Italy, where surrogacy is a crime

Politics and society
ARTE Journal